


A Little Cheese With The Wine

by afteriwake



Series: I'd Like It If You Stay [2]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-22
Updated: 2015-08-22
Packaged: 2018-04-16 14:31:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4628811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/pseuds/afteriwake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It’s Valentine’s Day and Sally and Greg have decided to have a rather low key Valentine’s Day in, exchanging simple gifts and cheesy cards.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Little Cheese With The Wine

**Author's Note:**

> And here's another fic in my "Thirteen Fluffy Fics With Thirteen Ships" challenge! I had promised someone a while back I'd write a sequel to "An Unexpected And Welcome Surprise" and now I finally have. Sorry for the delay! Anyway, this answers a prompt from **imagineyourotp** ( _Imagine your OTP exchanging Valentine's Day cards. Both cards end up being extremely cheesy or silly and makes both of them laugh before going to get dinner or watch a movie._ ) Here is what [Sally's card to Greg](http://s9.postimg.org/paokb836n/Sally_To_Greg.jpg) looks like, and what [Greg's card to Sally](http://s10.postimg.org/723c3wcxl/Greg_To_Sally.jpg) looks like. Enjoy!

They’d had a few unofficial movie and takeaway dates before Sally got her promotion to detective inspector, and the day she was officially no longer Lestrade’s subordinate they went out to dinner at Pearl Restaurant on a true and proper date. She dressed up in her best dress and he surprised her with a dozen roses, and when he dropped her off at the end of the night he gave her a most exquisite goodnight kiss. She’d literally walked into the Yard as though she was floating on air the next morning.

She was quite happy. She hadn’t expected to actually be happy in a relationship, mostly because her other relationships hadn’t really felt like real relationships. But this one with Lestrade felt quite solid and real and _good_. It was quite wonderful, quite exhilarating. She felt like she had a huge grin on her face most of the time because things were quite perfect for once in her life.

It had been nearly three weeks that they’d been officially dating when Valentine’s Day rolled around. Lestrade said he’d tried to get them reservations at a few different restaurants but wasn’t able to, and she’d suggested that they just have an evening in where she’d cook and then they’d curl up and watch a film. He seemed keen for the idea so she left the Yard early to pick up ingredients for a rack of lamb dish she’d learned how to make in the culinary class she’d taken a few years back as a way of cultivating a more elegant self to impress one of her boyfriends. The relationship hadn’t worked out but she’d realized she had quite an interest in learning to cook as well as any classically trained chef. She’d put it to good use tonight.

She’d bought a bottle of 2008 Poeira, Jorge Moreira, Douro for them to drink, and as she waited for the risotto accompanying the lamb to finish she poured herself a glass. She glanced at the nicely wrapped gift she’d gotten for him and the card. They’d mentioned exchanging gifts and given themselves a limit of twenty pounds, aside from the card. And Lestrade had challenged her to find the cheesiest, silliest card she could while he did the same for her. She thought she had the best one, even if it wasn’t so much silly as true without being sappy or sentimental.

The knock on the door a moment later pulled her away from her thoughts, and she set her glass down before heading towards the door. She opened it and saw him standing there with a bouquet of flowers in front of him. “I spent over twenty pounds since I got you flowers, so I hope you’ll forgive me,” he said with a grin.

“Well, they’re lovely so I guess I will,” she said with a wide grin before leaning in and giving him a soft kiss. When she pulled away she took the flowers from them. “What are these?”

“Amaryllises,” he said. “I thought you’d like something different than roses today. Too cliché.”

“I do appreciate them,” she said. She moved out of the way to let him in and then shut the door behind him. “Dinner’s almost ready. I’m just waiting for the risotto to finish.”

“What is dinner?” he asked. “It smells delicious.”

“Roasted rack of lamb, risotto and steamed broccoli,” she said. “And wine, which I _know_ you like despite the front you try and put on that you’re only a pints man.”

“Well, let’s keep that between you and me,” he said with a wide grin as they moved towards the kitchen. “What vintage?”

“2008 Poeira, Jorge Moreira, Douro,” she said, setting down the flowers and moving to pour him a glass.

“Not bad,” he said approvingly. She got him his glass and he took a sip. “I always knew you had good taste. This is definitely one of the best I’ve had.”

“Well, I’ve taken a lot of culinary classes over the years, and I’ve had a few courses in wines and wine pairings,” she said with a smile, picking up her glass again and taking a sip. “This one’s a nicely priced one that’s supposed to be one of the best reds out there.”

“It certainly tastes like it,” he said. He set his gift and card on the counter. “So do we want to exchange these now or later?”

“We can do it now,” she said. She picked up her gift and handed it to him. “Here you go.”

He took one more sip of his wine and then set the glass down before unwrapping the gift. He had a huge grin on his face as he looked at the gift, which was a hardcover book, one of the books in the Dresden Files series. “This is the one I needed,” he said.

“I know you said you were having a hard time finding that one in hardcover,” she said. “I went slightly over the limit with shipping so I could get it here before today, but I thought you’d appreciate it.”

“I do. It’s been a long time since I’ve read this one,” he said. He set it down and then picked up the envelope with the card, opening it and pulling it out. It was a white card that had a pink glittery heart towards the bottom and above that in large script it said “I hate everyone.” Underneath that, in parenthesis, it said “You…not as much.” He chuckled when he saw it and then opened it. “Greg, I’m glad you’re in my life. You make it better, and I’m happy to be your girlfriend. Sally.” He looked up and grinned widely. “I’m going to put this on my desk at the Yard.”

“Oh, God,” she said with a slight groan.

“What? It’s actual proof you like me,” he teased before moving closer to her. He set the card on the counter and then pulled her close. “Really, though. I like the gift and the card. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” she said before he leaned in and kissed her softly. She really enjoyed kissing him, and any chance she got made her happy. When he pulled away he reached over and handed her his gift and card. She opened the card first, looking at it and laughing as she read the cover. It was a plain white card with red block text that simply said “You are the right amount grumpy.” When she opened it up, the inside said _Sally, I’m glad you gave me a chance. I’ve been happier these last few weeks than I have been in a long time, and that’s thanks to you. Thank you for taking a chance on an old grump like me._ “So you’re also the right amount grumpy?” she asked with a cheeky grin.

“I think we’re both grumpy, and when put together it’s the perfect amount,” he said with a grin.

“As long as you think I’m the right amount,” she said, setting down the card. She began to unwrap the gift and her eyes widened when she saw what it was. “Oh, Greg.”

“You mentioned that the hinge on the one your mum had given you broke, and I thought you could use a new one,” he said with a slightly sheepish grin. “I’m sorry it’s not very extravagant, but…”

“No, I like simple necklaces,” she said, fingering the locket. It was oval shaped, engraved with flourishes and having a medium sized green stone in the center. “I take it that’s not an actual emerald?”

“Well…” he said evasively.

“Greg, did you go over the twenty pound limit?” she asked, her eyes wide.

“No, I swear!” he said. “I found it at a vendor cart at the Sunday Up Market. The seller was being swindled and I stopped it from happening so he offered the necklace to me at twenty pounds. But it is worth more.”

Sally shook her head, grinning. “Well, holding to the letter of the agreement, you didn’t go over twenty pounds. But now I feel like I should make it up to you.”

“Dinner will be more than enough,” he said. “But you’re okay with that?”

“As lovely as this is? Yes, Greg, I’m fine with that.” She leaned over and kissed his cheek as her timer went off. “But I’m also paying for our next two dates, and you can’t argue with me about it. All right?”

He nodded. “All right. I won’t.” She pulled away and went to go take care of the risotto, smile still on her face. This was just such a pleasant surprise and such a lovely gift. She would definitely find a way to make it up to him, she vowed to herself, if it was the last thing she did.


End file.
